1. Meet Our Finalists - Charlie Strong, Louisville

    Image from Card Chronicle

    Louisville Coach Charlie Strong has led his team to an 11-2 season and one of their first appearances in a big-time bowl game. On January 2nd, 2013 they will be taking on #2 Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

    Next year, he leads Louisville into the world of the ACC. The jump up to the new conference provides Louisville with stiffer conference competition, but even stronger recruiting capabilities. 

    It’s a good thing Charlie Strong will be leading the team. For a while, that fact was in question. Many teams, from UT to Tennessee attempted to entice Coach Strong to join their teams. However, he elected to sign a long-term contract extension through 2020 with Louisville, shocking sports analysts everywhere. 

    His rationale was simple: “It’s about being loyal and it’s about when you make a statement, who you really are and your character and your integrity. When you make those statements, you have to be true to those statements.”

    Give Coach Charlie Strong your vote today at: http://coachoftheyear.com/


  2. The Coach of the Year finalist results are here in!Each of the our 25 finalists are living proof that the complete package of on-field excellence and off-field charity inspires not just only their players and communities, but also the fans nationwide who admire and respect them. See who made it through as finalists, and help us determine which of these coaches in each division deserves to win the award in each division from - now through December 20th by voting at here: http://coachoftheyear.com I-Football Bowl Subdivision: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame Urban Meyer, Ohio State Jim Mora, UCLA Bill O’Brien, Penn State Mark Richt, Georgia Nick Saban, Alabama Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M Dabo Swinney, Clemson Charlie Strong, Louisville I-Football Championship Subdivision Rob Ash, Montana State Willie Ritz, Sam Houston State Joe Moglia, Coastal Carolina Jess Monken, Georgia Southern Danny Rocco, Richmond Division II Mark Maciejewski, Shippensburg (Pa.) Scott Maxfield, Henderson State (Ark.) Bob Nielson, Minnesota Duluth Peter Rossomando, New Haven (Conn.) Jed Stugart, Sioux Falls (S.D.) Division III: Jim Catanzaro, Lake Forest (III.) Glenn Caruso, St. Thomas (Minn.) Pat Cerroni, Wisconsin-Oshkosh Lonnie Pries, Concordia Chicago Steve Staker, Coe (Iowa)

    The Coach of the Year finalist results are here in!

    Each of the our 25 finalists are living proof that the complete package of on-field excellence and off-field charity inspires not just only their players and communities, but also the fans nationwide who admire and respect them.

    See who made it through as finalists, and help us determine which of these coaches in each division deserves to win the award in each division from - now through December 20th by voting at here: http://coachoftheyear.com

    I-Football Bowl Subdivision:

    • Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
    • Urban Meyer, Ohio State
    • Jim Mora, UCLA
    • Bill O’Brien, Penn State
    • Mark Richt, Georgia
    • Nick Saban, Alabama
    • Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M
    • Dabo Swinney, Clemson
    • Charlie Strong, Louisville

    I-Football Championship Subdivision

    • Rob Ash, Montana State
    • Willie Ritz, Sam Houston State
    • Joe Moglia, Coastal Carolina
    • Jess Monken, Georgia Southern
    • Danny Rocco, Richmond

    Division II

    • Mark Maciejewski, Shippensburg (Pa.)
    • Scott Maxfield, Henderson State (Ark.)
    • Bob Nielson, Minnesota Duluth
    • Peter Rossomando, New Haven (Conn.)
    • Jed Stugart, Sioux Falls (S.D.)

    Division III:

    • Jim Catanzaro, Lake Forest (III.)
    • Glenn Caruso, St. Thomas (Minn.)
    • Pat Cerroni, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
    • Lonnie Pries, Concordia Chicago
    • Steve Staker, Coe (Iowa)

  3. Top 10 Under-the-Radar College Football Running Backs

    Many of you know who some of the top running backs in the league are: Montee Ball, Marcus Lattimore, Knile Davis, etc. However, we want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the under-the-radar running backs that you may not know about despite their high potential.

    SportingNews regularly puts together some great, well-researched under-the radar lists, and here’s their compilation of the top ten best under-the-radar running backs:

    10. Dominique Brown, Louisville

    2011: 522 yards, 4 TDs rushing; 98 yards, 1 TD receiving as a sophomore.

    9. Matt Brown, Temple

    2011: 947 yards, 6 TDs rushing; 703 yards, 1 TD on kickoff returns as a junior

    8. Jordan Hall, Ohio State

    2011: 405 yards, 2 TDs rushing; 114 yards, 3 TDs receiving; 683 yards on kick returns as a junior

    7. D. J. Harper, Boise State

    2011: 557 yards, 9 TDs rushing; 140 yards, 1 TD receiving as a redshirt senior

    6. Jawan Jamison, Rutgers

    2011: 897 yards, 9 TDs rushing as a redshirt freshman

    5. Christine Michael, Texas A&M

    2011: 899 yards, 8 TDs rushing; 35 yards, 1 TD receiving as a junior

    4. LaDarius Perkins, Mississippi State

    2011: 422 yards, 2 TDs rushing; 59 yards, 2 TDs receiving; 363 yards on kick returns as a redshirt sophomore

    3. Bishop Sankey, Washington

    2011: 187 yards, 1 TD rushing; 134 yards on kick returns as a freshman

    2. Lache Seastrunk, Baylor

    2011: Sat out the season after transferring from Oregon

    1. Eric Stephens,Texas Tech

    2011: 565 yards, 8 TDs rushing; 133 yards receiving as a junior

    And here it is! Who are some of your favorite running backs this season?

The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award recognizes college football coaches who demonstrate Sportsmanship, Integrity, Responsibility and Excellence both on and off the field. Endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame, the program awards one winning coach from each NCAA division (I-FBS, I-FCS, II, and III) with $50,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, a $20,000 grant to each school’s alumni association, and the Coach of the Year trophy.